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Their opponents today are Samoa and the odds are heavily stacked against the Cheetahs given that the Pacific islanders are one of the favourites to lift the World Cup.
The Cheetahs have emerged as a very strong sporting brand for this country and one of the only few teams that are still flying our flag, at World Cup level.
However, their exploits haven’t received the full backing of a country that still believes in football, even though the Warriors continue to be a shame in the World Cup qualifiers.
When the Warriors were on the verge of qualifying for the 2013 Nations Cup finals, an estimated US$500 000 was raised, in a space of just two weeks, to boost the players and their technical staff ahead of their tie in Angola.
When one considers that the Nations Cup is just a continental tournament, the Cheetahs have done considerably well, in qualifying for the grand stage of the World Cup, but even after achieving that feat, they have to go with a begging bowel.
Cheetahs’ coach, Gilbert “Gidza” Nyamutsamba, believes the underdog tag against Samoa in the first game of the 2013 edition of the World Cup will work in their favour.
Zimbabwe were drawn in Pool C of the three-day tournament in Moscow, Russia, where they will also take on the Philippines and Kenya tomorrow.
Samoa finished as the fourth best team in the International Rugby Board World Sevens Series and this speaks volumes of the quality of Zimbabwe’s first opposition in this tournament.
Nyamutsamba has six players who were part of the 2009 Bowl winning side – the forwards duo of Fortune Chipendu and captain Jacques Leitao, backliners Daniel Hondo, Gardner Nechironga, Tangai Nemadire and Wensely Mbanje.
Nemadire top scored for the Cheetahs at the last World Cup where he planted four tries, Mbanje added three tries, Leitao had two to his name while Nechironga had one.
Samoa have the highest number of players who were at the 2009 World Cup in Dubai.
Zimbabwe has the second highest number with six.
The experience that Samoa wants comes in the form of captain Afa Aiomo, Alafito Faosiliva, Uale Mai, Lolo Lui, Alasati Tupou, Reupena Levasa and Paul Perez.
Mai has two World Cup appearances while the others all have one each, sharing a total of 117 World Cup points with Lui having 38 off four tries and nine conversions. Mai has 24 off four tries and two conversions while Levasa has four tries.
However, Nyamutsamba hopes these statistics will weigh down on the Samoans, make them too confident and give his men a window of hope.
“Not to put pressure on the boys, since we are playing the opening match to the World Cup and playing a top-ranked team, all I have asked from the players is for them to give their best,” said Nyamutsamba.
“It is important for us to have a good start to the tournament as this builds the necessary confidence going forward.
“We go into the Samoa game as underdogs, with nothing to lose, while Samoa have a lot to prove. Hopefully, their confidence will put pressure on how they are going to perform and work against them.”
Zimbabwe arrived in Moscow on Monday afternoon and have had at least six training sessions so far.
“The facilities are good, we were well received, it’s very hot this side but the team has settled in well,” said Nyamutsamba.
“We started with a gym session on Tuesday and three field sessions on both Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon and on Wednesday evening we were hosted by the Zimbabwe Embassy, Thursday was a rest day, so our programme has gone to plan.
“And we are as ready as we possibly can be for the tournament.”
Kenya may miss the injured Dennis Ombachi but Andrew Amonde captains a squad featuring brothers Humphrey Kayange and Collins Injera as well as the recalled Lavin Asego.
Asego top scored for Kenya at the 2009 competition where he scored 35 points that included three tries, Injera had 25 points to his name while Kayange competed the top three with three tries.
But these are not the only players who were at the previous World Cup.
Horace Otieno and Biko Adema scored a try each and provide the experience in the current Kenya squad.
The Philippines are taking part for the first time.
Samoa head coach Stephen Betham is back in the Sevens fold as interim coach.
Cheetahs Squad
Fortunate Chipendu, Jacques Leitao (captain), Lucky Sithole, Njabulo Ndlovu, Garth Ziegler, Daniel Hondo, Tangai Nemadire, Gardner Nechironga, Wes Mbanje, Tafadzwa Chitokwindo, Mike Morris, Kilvan Magunje.
Sevens World Cup Draw
Pool A: Australia, France, Spain, Tunisia
Pool B: South Africa, Scotland, Russia, Japan
Pool C: Samoa, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Philippines
Pool D: New Zealand, USA, Canada, Georgia
Pool E: Fiji, Wales, Tonga, Uruguay
Pool F: England, Argentina, Portugal, Hong Kong.
Online Reporter